The official overseeing the Portland region’s top homeless services program is stepping down after two years. Dan Field will be retiring from his position at the helm of Multnomah County’s Homeless Services Department in June, according to a county statement Tuesday.

In his statement, Field said the role has been the “highlight” of his career. Field oversaw government relations and community philanthropy work at Kaiser Permanente before accepting the homeless services director position in April 2023.

“I appreciate [Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson’s] steady leadership in turbulent times and extend my deep gratitude to the many smart, committed leaders and staff who work every day to make our community the best it can be,” said Field, who reports directly to Vega Pederson.

Vega Pederson thanked Field for leading with “determination, accountability, honesty, and compassion.”

“I am grateful for his leadership in delivering on his goals and moving the work so far forward,” she said.

Field’s announcement comes during a uniquely unstable time for the Homeless Services Department, which was formerly named the Joint Office of Homeless Services.

Last month, Field announced a $104 million deficit in the department’s budget, igniting alarm from other local elected officials. News of the deficit, which Field attributed to a dip in tax revenue and reliance on one-time funding, appeared to worsen already frayed relationships between the county and other neighboring governments. City and state leaders questioned Vega Pederson and Field’s leadership and whether the county is adequately addressing one of the largest ongoing issues facing the Portland metro area.

This tension could impact whether the Metro government or the state Legislature will step in to help fill the department’s budget gap before the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

Multnomah County Commissioner Shannon Singleton said that, because of this turmoil, she believes it’s a good time for a change of leadership at the Homeless Services Department.

“It’s time to reset dynamics with our community partners,” Singleton, who previously oversaw the Homeless Services Department in an interim position. “That means having the county board step in to reset conversations and direction.”

In her role on the board, Singleton has pushed the department to conduct a more in-depth assessment of all the different shelters and programs run by the county. She sees the period of leadership transition as an opportunity for the board to more directly influence the department’s work.

Field’s last day will be June 16, four days after the county board is scheduled to adopt its annual budget. Anna Plumb, the current deputy director at the Homeless Services Department, will step in as the department’s interim director after Field leaves.

“We’ve come a long way in the last two years by focusing on the basics — programming, contracting, data and relationships — and that won’t change,” Plumb said in a press statement. “I look forward to standing alongside our entire leadership team to continue pushing that progress forward.”

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/03/25/head-of-portland-area-homeless-services-department-to-retire-amid-budget-blowback/